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News flash: We have a primary Tues. 9/9 — Brooklynian

News flash: We have a primary Tues. 9/9

raulism
raulism
edited November -1 in Prospect Heights
This will come as a shock, but there is a primary election coming up on Tuesday 9/9. We don't have many races in our district, but most of Prospect Heights is in the 57th AD. The one contested race we do have is for District Leader (male). This is a Democratic Party position, and it doesn't have much power, but it is our voice in the official Democratic Party decision making process.

As most people should know, most of the decisions in New York State are done behind closed doors, so this position is our choice for who to put in those hidden negotiations. Believe it or not, our incumbent, Bill Saunders, has been a strong independent voice. He is active in the African-American community in Fort Greene, and he has been a consistent, strong voice for our community and against the Ratner Atlantic Yards proposal.

There are two other races, and you may be able to vote in them depending on where you live. Devin Cohen is a good candidate for Civil Court, and I strongly prefer Kevin Powell- the well spoken, thoughtful community activist/pop culture icon running against Ed "I really live in Florida and I haven't shown my face in Brooklyn for years" Towns.

All of these candidates have been supported by the political club which I belong to, Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats (CBID). If you want to get more involved, see http://cbidems.org/.

Warm regards,
Your local Community Organizer

Comments

  • bullyboy
    bullyboy
    Community Organizers are pussies. I know this because a very important person in the Republican party told me.
  • daver
    daver
    Who is this we you speak of? Some of us have revolted against the fascist two party totalitarian system.

    And vote Indie!

    :mrgreen:
  • god
    god
    Thanks raulism for the info.


    :)
  • bullyboy
    bullyboy
    Yes, thank you. Apparently I was infested with malicious snark and gleeful hatred by an unknown source, possibly from a DVR recording of a convention speech.
  • deedee
    deedee
    I would like to add that people can only vote in the primary if they are registered with a party...if you are registered as an independent then you are NOT eligible to vote until the general election.
  • sweet tea
    sweet tea
    so what's the story on kevin powell and scary behavior? i mean, it's nice that he goes around preaching about how wrong violence against women is, but i have to admit that what i know of his past actions give me serious pause.

    also, i think it's gross that people are trashing local dem politicians for having supported hillary. if there'd been some kind of actual split in the party and they weren't supporting obama now, then okay, but the fact is she was a good candidate and our senator AND her views were NEARLY IDENTICAL to obama's.

    but whatever; i'm not in the towns/powell district anyway.

    ETA: interesting towns/powell discussion on the FG/CH/BS board: http://www.brooklynian.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=44705
  • apollonia666
    apollonia666
    sweet tea wrote: so what's the story on kevin powell and scary behavior? i mean, it's nice that he goes around preaching about how wrong violence against women is, but i have to admit that what i know of his past actions give me serious pause.
    He wrote an interesting piece about his personal history, how his thinking changed, and what he thinks is necessary to end violence against women and girls on the Huffington Post a little while back. It's pretty compelling. I'd quote parts of it but I think it really needs to read as a whole:

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kevin-powell/ending-violence-against-w_b_70585.html

    There was also an interesting discussion on the Huffington Post piece on Jezebel.com:

    http://jezebel.com/5023563/what-happens-when-people-stop-beating-their-wives-and-start-being-realpoliticians
  • daver
    daver
    DeeDee wrote: I would like to add that people can only vote in the primary if they are registered with a party...if you are registered as an independent then you are NOT eligible to vote until the general election.
    Did I not _just_ say that???
  • daver
    daver
    apollonia666 wrote: He wrote an interesting piece about his personal history, how his thinking changed,
    Yah, that all certainly _sounds_ good. It is too bad that the fact that he is still biting people kind of undercuts it...
  • modsquad
    modsquad
    I find the article by Powell on the Huffingtonpost disgusting.
    "I was one of those typical American males: hyper-masculine, overly competitive, and drenched in the belief system that I could talk to women any way I felt, treat women any way I felt, with no repercussions whatsoever". Typical, I don't think so. He wishes to enlarge the problem in order to defend in some way his past acts against women. Citing extreme examples, and testimonials does not prove a trend, it just gives him a fig leaf to hide behind.
    "somewhere along our journey we were told we could". Right, culture, music, movies or whatever made "us" do it. If I go to the Indy 500, I don't leave the Brickyard and drive 200 mph.
    To bad there isn't a 12 step program for what he has done, at least it would make him realize who to blame.
  • pitu
    pitu

    Subject: Re: News flash: We have a primary Tues. 9/9

    raulism wrote:
    There are two other races, and you may be able to vote in them depending on where you live. Devin Cohen is a good candidate for Civil Court . . .
    All of these candidates have been supported by the political club which I belong to, Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats (CBID). If you want to get more involved, see http://cbidems.org/.

    Warm regards,
    Your local Community Organizer
    I'm wondering about the civil court race.
    Devin Cohen has been endorsed by CBID and LID (Lambda Indep Dems)...I got a thing in the mail from his opponent Roger Adler that calles Cohen a clubhouse pol, which is not a good thing given Brooklyn's ugly recent history with judges. Thoughts?
    I have done zero research about this or any other local race.
  • pitu
    pitu
    Enjoy the fruits of my googling...

    Adler was Clarence Norman's lawyer, which means I COULD NOT POSSIBLY vote for him. Cohen seems to have a lot of friends who blog, admit they are his friend, and say why they are voting for him.

    The robes are off! Judge’s race is slugfest The Brooklyn Paper

    approved v not approved by the NYC Bar Assoc in the Brooklyn Eagle

    Daily Gotham blogger
    brooklyn Paper wrote: “I’m very proud to have the approval by four different screening panels. That’s a reflection of my legal career which I believe has been built on integrity,” Cohen said. Cohen also noted his work on Community Board 6 as evidence of his commitment to Brooklyn.

    Adler’s foes dismissed the LeGal endorsement, saying Adler wasn’t considered by the group because he worked pro bono for the Conservative Party on its legal brief against same sex marriage in New York. Adler also made financial contributions to the party.

    “Roger Adler is a hired gun for homophobes and corrupt elected officials,” said Lambda Independent Democrats co-president Terrance Knox.

    Adler represented jailed Democratic Party boss Clarence Norman during the disgraced former Assemblyman’s various corruption trials. Adler parries the accusations of guilt by association, saying, “I was his lawyer, not his political confidante.”
  • stacey
    stacey
    sweet tea wrote: so what's the story on kevin powell and scary behavior? i mean, it's nice that he goes around preaching about how wrong violence against women is, but i have to admit that what i know of his past actions give me serious pause.
    Sweet T I understand your pause but I just want to add that I totally understand him. Growing up here I experienced an abusive relationship, I was destructive loud, and violent and abusive to others. I came to a point where I realized, with the help of friends and family that I needed to get control. In doing so I became a much more stonger, compassionate person. I think that understanding and knowing what he did will help him to make a difference.
    sweet tea wrote: also, i think it's gross that people are trashing local dem politicians for having supported hillary. if there'd been some kind of actual split in the party and they weren't supporting obama now, then okay, but the fact is she was a good candidate and our senator AND her views were NEARLY IDENTICAL to obama's.
    I agree 100% with that statement.
  • raulism
    raulism

    Subject: Re: News flash: We have a primary Tues. 9/9

    pitu wrote: I'm wondering about the civil court race.
    Devin Cohen has been endorsed by CBID and LID (Lambda Indep Dems)...I got a thing in the mail from his opponent Roger Adler that calles Cohen a clubhouse pol, which is not a good thing given Brooklyn's ugly recent history with judges. Thoughts?
    I have done zero research about this or any other local race.
    That's HILLARIOUS that Adler called Cohen a clubhouse politician. Cohen has been endorsed by the clubs that have opposed the Vito Lopez/Clarence Norman establishment. Just to give you a flavor of the CBID, it has supported Norman Siegel and opposed the Atlantic Yards proposal. Here is what the Gotham Gazette has to say (see
    http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/fea/20080902/202/2633 ):
    gothamgazette.com wrote: Adler is the former attorney for the former Brooklyn Democratic party boss, Clarence Norman, who has since been found guilty for embezzling campaign funds. Although he has won the backing of Brooklyn Party Boss Vito Lopez, Adler is reportedly boasting that a lack of endorsements testifies to his distance from the party machine.

    Cohen, a member of Community Board 6, has received backing from local politicians, including City Council members Letitia James, Bill de Blasio and David Yassky. He has also won over the Independent Neighborhood Democrats and Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats.
    A more detailed article by mole333 can be found here:

    http://moleprogressive.blogspot.com/2008/09/special-nyc-primary-focus-i-reform-vs.html

    Here is what Brooklyn Paper has to say:
    http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/31/33/31_33_mm_judge_race.html
  • raulism
    raulism
    Here is the press release from Lambda Independent Democrats:
    Lambda Independent Democrats Press Release wrote:
    Civil Court Candidate Has Anti-Gay Record
    Roger Adler authored Conservative Party opposition to marriage equality

    Lambda Independent Democrats warned lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender voters and their allies that putting Roger Adler on the Civil Court bench would represent a step backward for civil rights.

    Adler, a candidate for the 1st District Civil Court in Brooklyn wrote the Conservative Party amicus curiae opposing same sex marriage (http://www2.law.columbia.edu/faculty_franke/Gender_Justice/Hernandez_Robles.pdf)and has also donated handsomely to the anti-gay party.

    "Seeing an anti-marriage judge elected in Brooklyn in 2008 would be a catastrophe," said LID Co-President Terrance Knox. "Roger Adler is a hired gun for homophobes and corrupt elected officials."

    In addition to his anti-gay advocacy work, Adler represented convicted party leader Clarence Norman.

    "Brooklyn deserves better," said LID Co-President Dan Willson. "We don't need judges who believe entire portions of the population deserve second-class status."

    "Roger Adler would be the Robert Bork of the Brooklyn Courts," said LID board member Ken Diamondstone. "Adler is a rigid social reactionary who would deny me and my partner of 33 years the rights most couples already have. Medical decisions, inheritance, social security benefits and over a thousand other rights are being denied to gay and lesbian couples because of judges and politicians who share Adler's views."

    52nd Democratic District Leader and LID board member Alan Fleishman said "Roger Adler does not share the values of the Democratic voters in this district, based on his donations of tens of thousands of dollars to the Conservative and Republican parties in his previous attempt to be appointed to a judgeship. Mr. Adler's financial support for candidates like Rudy Giuliani for President and his work against marriage equality are more in line with George Bush and Dick Cheney then they are with Brooklyn voters."
  • raulism
    raulism
    Here is an email I got from the Female District Leader of the 57th Assembly District in support of Bill Saunders. Almost all elected officials supported Hillary Clinton during the presidential primaries, but Saunders did not.
    OLANIKE ALABI wrote: As you know Primary Election Day is tomorrow in New York State. There is a race for State Committee (Male District Leader) in the 57th Assembly District. I urge you to vote for William "Bill" Saunders for the post. He is the incumbent, has served us for ten years and has been endorsed by the following:

    -Hon. Velmanette Montgomery, State Senator - 18th S.D.
    -Hon. Letitia James, Council Member - 35th C.D.
    -LAMBDA Independent Democrats
    -Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats
    -Progressive Democratic Political Association of Central Brooklyn


    REASONS TO SUPPORT WILLIAM SAUNDERS
    -He helped to elect the first African American to the Surrogate Court in Brooklyn.
    -Remaining consistent in his opposition and raising the critical issues as it relates to the Atlantic Yards development such as housing, eminent domain and displacement.
    -Serving as the President & Treasurer of the 80-86 Housing Corp. which is a sponsoring corporation for two major housing developments in our community.
    -Meeting the needs and concerns of many constituents including being a part of the coalition to save the Franklin Avenue Shuttle.
    -Fighting to protect homeowners from predatory lending.

    Finally, in 2004 Barack Obama stood before the Democratic National Convention in Boston and declared, "I owe a debt to those who came before me."

    As a young woman who happens to be elected, I am enjoying the fruits of the labor of William Saunders and many others who came before me. Join me in re-electing him on tomorrow.


    OLANIKE ALABI
    Female District Leader - 57th Assembly District
  • sweet tea
    sweet tea
    god forbid someone support clinton. since she eats babies and all.
  • raulism
    raulism
    sweet tea wrote: god forbid someone support clinton. since she eats babies and all.
    I hope I didn't make it sound like it's a bad thing to support Clinton. It's just that our district was one of the most strongly pro-Obama Assembly Districts in the state. While elected officials had their reasons for supporting our Senator, I think it showed some courage to represent your constituents when other party functionaries were more concerned about other functionaries.
  • pitu
    pitu
    raulism wrote: [quote=sweet tea]god forbid someone support clinton. since she eats babies and all.
    I hope I didn't make it sound like it's a bad thing to support Clinton. It's just that our district was one of the most strongly pro-Obama Assembly Districts in the state. While elected officials had their reasons for supporting our Senator, I think it showed some courage to represent your constituents when other party functionaries were more concerned about other functionaries.
    I hope there's more to differentiate the candidates than whether they supported Obama or Clinton in the primaries. That's the flimsiest...

    Why are there male and female district leaders? That's so . . . old-fashioned sounding.
  • sweet tea
    sweet tea
    met bill saunders this morning. seems like a good guy. a good man with a bad wig. (this could perhaps be a campaign slogan....)

    raulism, we could have a whole bull session about in what way representatives should represent -- obviously, there's a philosophical split between voting the polled-at-the-moment will of the people on every issue versus taking your election as a statement of the people's faith in your judgment -- but i'm prepared to take as a given that we are both familiar with that argument.

    but, yes, you did make supporting clinton sound like a bad thing, which at this late date i find not only silly but also a pretty bad way to encourage party unity in the presidential election. clinton and obama were both great candidates with almost no policy differences. what an amazing time to be a democrat!

    and yes, i voted today.
  • sweet tea
    sweet tea
    ... so looks like towns won (according to nyt). anybody know about other races?
  • plucky purcell
    plucky purcell
    Towns won. and Moseley beat Saunders.
    wtf is up with that?
  • pitu
    pitu
    Attorney Devin Cohen Wins Judicial Primary in Brooklyn

    by Ryan Thompson ([email protected]), published online 09-11-2008
    Defeats Brooklyn Heights Lawyer Roger Adler by 270 Votes

    By Ryan Thompson
    Brooklyn Daily Eagle

    LIVINGSTON STREET – In yesterday’s Democratic primary race for Brooklyn Civil Court (1st Municipal Court District), Devin P. Cohen, Esq. narrowly defeated Brooklyn Heights attorney Roger B. Adler. With all precincts reporting, Cohen won 51.76 percent of the vote (3,970), and Adler
    :D
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